Hébreux 11
1 Or la foi est l’assurance des choses qu’on espère, et la conviction de celles qu’on ne voit pas.
It is because people trust [God] that they are sure that they will receive the things that they confidently expect [God to give them]. They are also certain [that they will see those things], though no one sees them yet.
2 Car c’est par elle que les anciens ont reçu témoignage.
It was because our ancestors trusted in God that they pleased him.
3 Par la foi, nous comprenons que les mondes ont été formés par la parole de Dieu, de sorte que ce qui se voit n’a pas été fait de choses qui paraissent. (aiōn g165)
It is because we trust in God that we understand that he formed the universe by commanding [it to exist]. The result is that the things that we see were not made from things that already existed. (aiōn g165)
4 Par la foi, Abel offrit à Dieu un plus excellent sacrifice que Caïn, et par ce sacrifice il a reçu le témoignage d’être juste, Dieu rendant témoignage à ses dons; et par lui, étant mort, il parle encore.
It was because [Adam’s son] Abel trusted God that he sacrificed something better to God than what [his older brother] Cain offered to God. Because Abel did that, when God spoke well about what Abel sacrificed, God declared that Abel was righteous. And although Abel is dead, we still learn from him [about trusting God].
5 Par la foi, Énoch fut enlevé pour qu’il ne voie pas la mort; et il ne fut pas trouvé, parce que Dieu l’avait enlevé; car, avant son enlèvement, il a reçu le témoignage d’avoir plu à Dieu.
It was because Enoch believed [God that God] took him [up to heaven]. The result was that he did not die. No one found him, because he was taken up {[God] had removed him} from the earth [to heaven]. Before [God] took him away, [he] testified that Enoch pleased him well.
6 Or, sans la foi il est impossible de lui plaire; car il faut que celui qui s’approche de Dieu croie que [Dieu] est, et qu’il est le rémunérateur de ceux qui le recherchent.
It is possible for people to please God only if they trust God, because anyone who wants to come to God must first believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek [to know] him.
7 Par la foi, Noé, étant averti divinement des choses qui ne se voyaient pas encore, craignit et bâtit une arche pour la conservation de sa maison; et par cette arche il condamna le monde et devint héritier de la justice qui est selon la foi.
It was because Noah trusted [God] that after he was warned by God {after [God] warned him} about [a flood that] had not yet happened, Noah [showed that he] revered God by building a huge ship to save his family. By doing that, he [showed all the people who did not believe him] [MTY] [that they deserved to be condemned] {[that God would] condemn them}. He was someone whom God declared to be righteous because of his trusting in God.
8 Par la foi, Abraham, étant appelé, obéit pour s’en aller au lieu qu’il devait recevoir pour héritage; et il s’en alla, ne sachant où il allait.
It was because Abraham trusted God that when he was told to go {when [God] told him to go}, he obeyed [God], he left [his own country], and went to a place that God would give him. Abraham left his own country, even though he did not know where he would be going.
9 Par la foi, il demeura dans la terre de la promesse comme dans [une terre] étrangère, demeurant sous des tentes avec Isaac et Jacob, les cohéritiers de la même promesse;
It was because Abraham trusted God that he lived as though he was a foreigner in the land that [God] had promised to him. Abraham lived in tents, and his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob did also. God promised to give to Isaac and Jacob the same things that he promised to give Abraham.
10 car il attendait la cité qui a les fondements, de laquelle Dieu est l’architecte et le créateur.
Abraham was waiting to live in a city [in heaven] that would exist forever [MET]. It was a city that God is building [DOU].
11 Par la foi, Sara elle-même aussi reçut la force de fonder une postérité, et [cela], étant hors d’âge, puisqu’elle estima fidèle celui qui avait promis;
It was because Abraham trusted God that God gave Abraham strength so that he [was] able to produce a son. Even though his wife Sarah was past the age [when women bear children], [God] promised [that he would give her a son], and Abraham considered that God would do what he promised to do.
12 c’est pourquoi aussi d’un seul, et d’un homme déjà amorti, sont nés des gens qui sont comme les étoiles du ciel en nombre et comme le sable qui est sur le rivage de la mer, lequel ne peut se compter.
So, although Abraham was also too old to have children, so many people descended from that one man that they were as numerous as the stars in the sky and are as countless as the grains of sand along the seashore, [just like God promised him].
13 Tous ceux-ci sont morts dans la foi, n’ayant pas reçu les choses promises, mais les ayant vues de loin et saluées, ayant confessé qu’ils étaient étrangers et forains sur la terre.
It was while they still trusted in God that all those people died. Even though they had not yet received the things that God had promised to give them, [it was as though] they saw those things in a distance. They were glad [to know] about what God promised. It was as though they admitted that they were not from this earth, but that they were only here temporarily.
14 Car ceux qui disent de telles choses montrent clairement qu’ils recherchent une patrie;
As for those people who talk like that, they clearly show that they long for [a place that will become] their true native land.
15 et en effet, s’ils s’étaient souvenus de celle d’où ils étaient sortis, ils auraient eu du temps pour y retourner;
If they had been thinking about [that place being] the place from which they had come, they would have taken the opportunity to return there.
16 mais maintenant ils en désirent une meilleure, c’est-à-dire une céleste; c’est pourquoi Dieu n’a point honte d’eux, savoir d’être appelé leur Dieu, car il leur a préparé une cité.
But, instead, they desired a better [place in which to live]; that is, they desired [a home] in heaven. So God has prepared a city for them to live [with him], and he is pleased [LIT] for them to say that he is their God.
17 Par la foi, Abraham, étant éprouvé, a offert Isaac; et celui qui avait reçu les promesses offrit son fils unique,
It was because Abraham trusted [God] that he [was ready to] kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice when [God] tested him. This same man to whom [God] promised [to give] ([a son/many descendants]) was going to sacrifice [that same son], the only son [whom his own wife had borne]!
18 à l’égard duquel il avait été dit: « En Isaac te sera appelée [une] semence », –
It was to Abraham that God said, “It is [only] from Isaac that I will consider your family to descend.”
19 ayant estimé que Dieu pouvait le ressusciter même d’entre les morts, d’où aussi, en figure, il le reçut.
Abraham considered that [to fulfill that promise], God could make [Isaac] live again [even if] he had died [after Abraham sacrificed him]! The result was that when Abraham did receive Isaac back [after God told him not to harm Isaac], it was as though he received him back even after he died.
20 Par la foi, Isaac bénit Jacob et Ésaü à l’égard des choses à venir.
It was because Isaac trusted God that he [prayed that after he died, God would] bless [his] sons Jacob and Esau.
21 Par la foi, Jacob mourant bénit chacun des fils de Joseph, et adora, [appuyé] sur le bout de son bâton.
It was because Jacob trusted God that, as he was dying, he [prayed that God would] bless each of the sons of [his own son Joseph]. He worshipped God as he leaned upon his walking stick [before he died].
22 Par la foi, Joseph, en terminant sa vie, fit mention de la sortie des fils d’Israël et donna un ordre touchant ses os.
It was because Joseph trusted God that, when he was about to die [in Egypt], he anticipated the time when the Israelis would leave Egypt; and he instructed [that] his people [should carry] his bones [with them when they] ([left Egypt/returned to Canaan]).
23 Par la foi, Moïse, étant né, fut caché trois mois par ses parents, parce qu’ils virent que l’enfant était beau, et ils ne craignirent pas l’ordonnance du roi.
It was because Moses’ father and mother trusted God that they hid [their son] for three months shortly after he was born, because they saw that he was so beautiful. They were not afraid of [disobeying] what the king of Egypt had commanded, [namely, that all the Jewish male babies must be killed].
24 Par la foi, Moïse, étant devenu grand, refusa d’être appelé fils de la fille du Pharaon,
The daughter of the [king, whom they called] Pharaoh, [raised] Moses, but when he had grown up, it was because he trusted God that he refused to [accept the privileges that would have been his if people] considered that he was (the son of the king’s daughter/the king’s own grandson).
25 choisissant plutôt d’être dans l’affliction avec le peuple de Dieu, que de jouir pour un temps des délices du péché,
He decided that it was better for others to mistreat him for a time along with the Israeli people, than to temporarily enjoy living sinfully [in the King’s palace].
26 estimant l’opprobre du Christ une plus grande richesse que les trésors de l’Égypte; car il regardait à la rémunération.
This is because he decided that if he suffered for the Messiah, it would be worth far more [in God’s sight] than his owning all the treasures of Egypt [that he would receive as Pharaoh’s heir. He decided that] because he looked forward to the time when [God would give him] an [eternal] reward.
27 Par la foi, il quitta l’Égypte, ne craignant pas la colère du roi, car il tint ferme, comme voyant celui qui est invisible.
It was because he trusted God that he left Egypt. He was not afraid that the king would be angry [because of his doing that]. He (kept going/did not turn back) because [it was as though] he kept seeing [God], whom no one can see.
28 Par la foi, il a fait la pâque et l’aspersion du sang, afin que le destructeur des premiers-nés ne les touche pas.
It was because Moses believed [that God would save his own people] that he instituted the [festival called] Passover. He did that [by commanding that the people should kill lambs and] sprinkle their blood [on their] doorposts. They did that in order that [the angel who] causes people to die would not kill [EUP] the oldest male Israelites [when he killed the oldest sons in each Egyptian family].
29 Par la foi, ils traversèrent la mer Rouge comme une terre sèche, ce que les Égyptiens ayant essayé, ils furent engloutis.
It was because they trusted God that [when] the [Israelite] people walked through [where] the Red Sea [had been, it was] as [though they walked] on dry land! But, when the [army of] Egypt also attempted to [cross that same water], they drowned, because [the sea came back and flooded them]!
30 Par la foi, les murs de Jéricho tombèrent, après qu’on en eut fait le tour sept jours durant.
It was because the [Israeli] people trusted God that the walls around Jericho [city] collapsed, after the Israelis marched around the walls for seven days.
31 Par la foi, Rahab, la prostituée, ne périt pas avec ceux qui n’ont pas cru, ayant reçu les espions en paix.
Rahab [had been] a prostitute, but because she trusted God, she did not perish with those [inside Jericho] who disobeyed [God. Joshua sent some spies] into the city [in order] to find ways to destroy it, but God saved her because she welcomed those spies [peaceably].
32 Et que dirai-je davantage? Car le temps me manquera si je discours de Gédéon, de Barac et de Samson et de Jephté, de David et de Samuel et des prophètes,
I do not know what more I should say [RHQ] [about others who trusted in God]. It would take too much time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the [other] prophets.
33 qui par la foi subjuguèrent des royaumes, accomplirent la justice, obtinrent les choses promises, fermèrent la gueule des lions,
It was because they trusted God that some of them [did great things for him]. Some conquered lands ruled by powerful men. Some ruled [Israel] and justly [punished those men and nations who rebelled against God]. Some obtained [from God] the things that he promised to give them [MTY].
34 éteignirent la force du feu, échappèrent au tranchant de l’épée, de faibles qu’ils étaient furent rendus vigoureux, devinrent forts dans la bataille, firent ployer les armées des étrangers.
Some forced lions to keep their mouths shut. Some escaped from being destroyed by fire. Some of those people escaped from [being killed with] a sword [MTY]. Some of those [people who trusted God] were made strong {became mighty} again after they had once been weak. Some became powerful when they fought wars. Some caused armies [that came from foreign lands] to run away from them.
35 Les femmes reçurent leurs morts par la résurrection; et d’autres furent torturés, n’acceptant pas la délivrance, afin d’obtenir une meilleure résurrection;
Some women [who trusted God] received [their relatives] back again when [God] ([made them live again after they had died/raised them from the dead]). But [others who trusted God] were tortured until they died. They were tortured because they refused to agree when [their captors said, “We will] release you [if you deny that you believe in God.” They refused to do that], because they wanted to live with God forever, which is better than [continuing to live on earth] after having almost died.
36 et d’autres furent éprouvés par des moqueries et par des coups, et encore par des liens et par la prison;
Other [people who trusted God] were mocked; [some had their backs] cut [open by being struck] with leaded whips. Some were chained and put in prison.
37 ils furent lapidés, sciés, tentés; ils moururent égorgés par l’épée; ils errèrent çà et là, vêtus de peaux de brebis, de peaux de chèvres, dans le besoin, affligés, maltraités,
[Some of] those believers were stoned to death {People [killed some of those believers by] throwing stones at them}. Others were cut completely in two. Others were killed with swords. Others of these people who trusted God wandered around the land [wearing garments made only of] skins from sheep and goats. They did not have any money. They were continually oppressed and tormented {People continuously oppressed them and tormented them}.
38 (desquels le monde n’était pas digne, ) errant dans les déserts et les montagnes, et les cavernes et les trous de la terre.
[The people on earth who caused those who trusted in God to suffer were so bad that] they did not deserve [to live with people who trusted God. Some who trusted God] wandered in deserts and on mountains. Some lived in caves and in other [large] holes in the ground.
39 Et tous ceux-ci, ayant reçu témoignage par la foi, n’ont pas reçu ce qui avait été promis,
Although all these people were commended [by God] {[God] commended all these people} because they trusted him, God did not give them all that he promised them [while they were alive].
40 Dieu ayant eu en vue quelque chose de meilleur pour nous, afin qu’ils ne parviennent pas à la perfection sans nous.
God knew ahead of time that what he would give us and them [later] would be better than giving [them immediately what he promised]. What God intends is that only when they and we are together will we have all that God intends us to have.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
